Sauk is the language of the Sac and Fox tribe, and a beginning course was implemented this semester at Shawnee High School.

The students are progressing very well, according to teacher Mosiah Bluecloud. Before fall break the students were speaking in full sentences, he added.

“That happened a lot earlier than I thought it would,” Bluecloud said. “They’re acquiring the language very well.”

“They’re really attentive,” he said of his students.

Bluecloud said he enjoys teaching the class as much as students seem to enjoy learning.

“The different learning styles fascinate me,” he said. “Sometimes the quiet ones will just explode with something brilliant.”

The class was part of an effort by the Sauk Language Department to keep the language alive, as there are estimated to be less than five fluent speakers alive today. The Sauk language department worked with Shawnee High School Principal Lee Hamilton to implement the class this year.

“From the school’s point of view, the class is progressing very well,” Hamilton said.

The class meets requirements for foreign language credits, and is funded through the Sauk language department, so it seemed like a win-win for the school and students, Hamilton said.